What’s On
July–September 2024
84/85 – The Longest Year
Until 3 March 2025
Exhibition Space, The Hub
Discover our year-long exhibition and programme of events marking the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike.
This exhibition considers the strike through memories and stories of miners and their families. Uniquely positioned at a former working colliery, the Museum addresses the broader picture of the strike and gives a voice to those who experienced it.
The exhibition looks at three different points of view:
→ Those who stayed out on strike for the whole year
→ Those who returned to work early
→ Those who did not strike
Share Your Memories of 84/85
We’d love to hear your stories of 1984/85, whether this is as a mineworker, relative of a miner or someone who lived within the mining communities during 1984/85. To submit your memories, volunteer to be interviewed or donate an object, visit ncm.org.uk/84-85
84/85 Chess Set by Bill Spalding
Recently acquired at auction, this rare resin chess set (one of only two made), was designed by Bill Spalding and features caricatures of key figures from the 1984/85 Miners’ Strike. See them in a ‘stalemate’ in the exhibition.
Regeneration (Film Screening)
All day: Wed 3 Jul – Mon 2 Sep Film Booth, The Hub Free, just turn up
Regeneration, a film by Rebecca Sills, tells the story of how the mining industry came to an end. Also discussing the 1984/85 Miners’ Strike, it includes interviews, archive footage and what life is like now in the Dearne Valley.
© Ross Williams
The Past Is Gone But It Is Not Lost
by Kevan Thompson
Until 1 September
The Ramp and Café, The Hub
Explore striking artwork, produced using the oral history collection held by NCMME. As the son of a miner, Kevan holds in adoration those who climbed down into the depths of an underground world, risking their lives daily to hew out a living for their families.
Paintings by David Parry
Until 15 September Conference Area, The Hub
Discover artwork marking the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike, by former miner and artist David Parry on display in our Conference Area.
David Parry was born into a mining family near Barnsley four years after the nationalisation of the coal mines. Most
George Mallalieu Charcoal Drawings Acquired
Three charcoal drawings by the artist George Mallalieu have recently been acquired by the Museum. On the theme of the Miners’ Strike, these preparatory drawings were for a large diptych, a double painting, titled ‘The Miners’ Strike, 1984-85’. The finished painting was sadly lost in a fire in 2000. We hope to be able to display the drawings soon.
Be Part of Our Story
Volunteer Open Day
Be a part of our story, volunteer with us…
Flexible opportunities that work around you. Dedicated support, training and social events.
Drop into our Volunteer Open Day on Fri 9 & Sat 10 August: 11am–2pm
Meet our Volunteer team, enjoy a look behind the scenes and find something that suits you.
Drop into the Shop
Treat yourself to a range of affordable mementos in our Museum Shop. With a range of books, mining art, food and
‘Rock Hard Revolt’ Youth Arts Festival
Sat 6 Jul: 10am–5pm
Site-wide Free, just turn up
Join NCMME’s Coal Camaraderie Youth Panel for a free and fun-filled day for all the family. Enjoy live music and theatre performances, craft workshops for all ages, interactive events, plus much more.
Heritage Open Days: Caphouse Machine Rally
Sat 14 – Sun 15 Sep: 10am–5pm
Site-wide Free, just turn up Special Tours pre-bookable
See NCMME come to life with Living History performances and tours of our Screens Building (usually off limits!). See mining machinery demonstrations and much more over the weekend celebrating the heritage of mining.
Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Sat 21 Sep: 7pm Conference Centre
£25, pre-bookable
See the world-famous Grimethorpe Colliery Band perform at NCMME. Enjoy the unmistakeable sound of brass band favourites and more.
Yorkshire Day
Thu 1 Aug: 10am–5pm
Site-wide
Free, just turn up
Come celebrate Yorkshire Day in t’ proper Yorkshire way! With activities on site all day, including a Whippet Walk led by Yorkshire Pedigree Whippet Racing Club – all dogs welcome!
Encounters With Trees: Nature Trail
Daily, all year round Pit Wood Free, just turn up
Discover different types of trees and how wood was used in the mining industry, by finding ten beautifully crafted benches and totems across our site.
Grimethorpe Colliery Band
Coming Soon...
Illumine: Light Up Festival
Fri 22 Nov - Sun 24 Nov: All day
Site-wide
Free, just turn up
Join us for our Christmas launch weekend as the Museum comes to life with a stunning light show including a showstopping centrepiece, ‘Sentinel’, inspired by coal mining’s canaries. Over the weekend enjoy pop-up activities, brass band and choir performances, plus plenty of festive treats including Santa himself! Get crafty with our lantern making workshops over the weekend ready for Sunday’s unmissable lantern parade.
Santa Claus is coming to Caphouse...
Santa Underground
23 Nov - 22 Dec
Caphouse/Underground
Tickets available soon, keep an eye on our website.
This Christmas, before Santa goes down your chimney he is going down the mine!
Travel 140m underground to join Santa in his unique and atmospheric underground grotto where he will be waiting to meet you. Will the bell place you on the naughty or nice list? Good children will receive a present and certificate while naughty ones will get coal…
Things to Do Summer Holidays
Helping Hands
Discover how communities pulled together to support each other in the Miners’ Strike. Enjoy sunshine at the beach, explore the great outdoors, and much more in a fun-filled programme of events throughout the summer holidays.
Summer Offer
£5 per car, includes access to the site, The Beach and unlimited Paddy Train rides.
Sat 20 July –Sun 1 September excluding Mon & Tue
4 page pull-out
Things to do this summer Underground
Seaside Striking Stories
Daily: 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm & 2.30pm
The Beach, Hope Pit Free, just turn up
Come and join us for a day out at the seaside. Play games and find out how the community entertained children during difficult times.
Cambridge Hands On Science
Sun 11 Aug: 10.30am - 4.30pm
Pit Yard Free, just turn up
Hands on science experiments for the whole family to enjoy.
Paddy Train
Daily: 11am–4pm (weather permitting)
The Hub – Hope Pit Unlimited rides included with Summer Offer (see page 9), or £2.50 per person
Travel in a train that used to carry miners at work.
Makers’ Shed
Daily: 11.30am–3.30pm
Pony Discovery Centre Free, just turn up
Get creative with different crafts each week inspired by how the community supported miners in the strike.
Horsekeeper Talk
Daily: 12pm & 2.30pm
Pony Discovery Centre Free, just turn up
Hear all about our fourlegged friends in the 12pm talk and see them being fed at 2.30pm.
Tours
Daily: 10am–3.20pm Caphouse
£7.50, pre-book at Reception or online
Descend 140m underground and discover 180 years of history with a captivating former miner.
Power House
Daily: 10am–4pm
Hope Pit Free, just turn up
See mining machinery up close and discover how technology advanced the industry.
Paddy Train
Pony Discovery Centre
Sensory Soap Making
Caphouse Creators 7–12 years
Wed 24 – Fri 26 Jul: 11am–12.30pm
Learning Space, The Hub
£7, pre-bookable
PHB soap was essential for miners to wash away coal dust. Cook-up your own sensory soap using a variety of colours, smells and textures.
Wooden Instruments
Caphouse Creators 7–12 years
Wed 7 – Fri 9 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
Learning Space, The Hub
£7, pre-bookable
Discover how music brought communities together. Use traditional woodworking tools to construct a colourful glockenspiel.
Puppet Making
Caphouse Creators 7–12 years
Wed 21 – Fri 23 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
Learning Space, The Hub £7, pre-bookable
Use inspiration from the seaside classic ‘Punch and Judy’ to create your own poseable puppet.
Sun Paper Printing
STEAM Club 11–16 years
Wed 31 Jul – Fri 2 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
Learning Space, The Hub
£7, pre-bookable
Investigate how the sun emits energy. Experiment with natural objects and sunlight to make patterns.
Ice Cream Making
STEAM Club 11–16 years
Wed 14 – Fri 16 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
Learning Space, The Hub £7, pre-bookable
Ochre Art
STEAM Club 11–16 years
Wed 28 – Fri 30 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
Learning Space, The Hub £7, pre-bookable
Discover why our water treatment plant turns the water orange. Use this byproduct to make your own artwork to take home.
Minecraft Escape Room in a Box 7+ years
Fri 2, Fri 9, Fri 16, Fri 23 & Fri 30 Aug: 2pm–3.30pm
Learning Space, The Hub £10 per family, pre-bookable
Join us for a Minecraft
Some activities may not run everyday, please check at Reception.
Experiment with endothermic reactions to prevent chocolate from melting and make ice cream.
Tours and Talks
Hope Pit Explore
Sundays: 12.30pm–2pm
Meet at Compressor House, Hope Pit Free, pre-bookable
Explore Hope Pit with our volunteer former-miners and get assigned a mining role as you experience the Lister-Kaye Tunnel in complete darkness.
Railways of Caphouse Tour
Wednesdays: 1pm
Meet at Pit Yard Free, just turn up
Get ready to unearth the secrets of our coal’s incredible journey, from the mighty locomotives and wagons that carried it, to the hidden passage known as Hope Tunnel that saw it vanish far away from site.
Steam Winder Demonstrations
Weekends and School Holidays: Demos throughout the day
Steam Winding House, Caphouse Free, just turn up
See how a few puffs of steam can work with some giant machinery to move the mighty Pit Wheel.
Pithead Baths Explore
Daily: 12pm–12.45pm
Meet at Pithead Baths Free, just turn up
Discover how these baths revolutionised the lives of miners and their families.
The People Who Made
Caphouse Tour
4 Jul, 1 Aug, 5 Sep: 10am–11am
Meet at Reception Free, pre-bookable
Discover the lives of the inventors and innovators that made Caphouse and Hope Colliery.
Heritage Walk
18 Jul, 15 Aug, 19 Sep: 10am–12pm
Meet at Reception Free, pre-bookable
Enjoy a country walk? Fascinated by local heritage? Join us for a circular walk around the Museum and discover shadows of the industry hidden in the landscape that may surprise you!
Reed Bed Tour
Saturdays: 1.30pm–2.15pm
Meet at Reception Free, just turn up
Discover how we pump and purify orange mine water, through our innovative water treatment system. Learn about the process our mine water undergoes before being filtered through our reed beds and back into the watercourse.
Reed Bed Tour
Hope Pit
Wednesdays (Term-Time): 10.15am–11am
Learning Space, The Hub
Free, pre-bookable
Play and learn with your pre-schoolers!
Join us as we explore one of our fun weekly themes through interactive storytelling, activities, singing and crafts.
Wed 3 Jul Colliery Cats
Wed 10 Jul Mining and Nature
Wed 17 Jul Miners’ Holidays
Wed 11 Sep Taster Day (see below)
Wed 18 Sep What is Coal?
Wed 25 Sep Maurice the Miner
Taster Day
Wed 11 Sep: 10.15am–11am
Learning Space, The Hub
Free, pre-bookable
Join our special Wacky Wednesday Taster Day and play and learn with your preschoolers, free of charge!
Calling all 7-12 year olds! Get creative at our hands-on monthly club, working with authentic materials to learn practical techniques!
Wooden Hydraulic Machine
Sun 7 Jul: 11am–12.30pm & 2pm–3.30pm
Learning Space, The Hub £7, pre-bookable
Use traditional wood working tools to shape and construct a moving mechanised machine.
Summer Specials
See page 11 for full details
Sensory Soap Making
Wed 24 – Fri 26 Jul: 11am–12.30pm
Wooden Instruments
Wed 7 – Fri 9 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
Puppet Making
Wed 21 – Fri 23 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
7–12 years
Calling all 11-16 year olds! Join us for our hands-on monthly STEAM Club and enjoy a creative twist on your STEM subjects using authentic materials to explore the skills behind mining.
Seam to Steam
Sun 15 Sep: 11am–12.30pm & 2pm–3.30pm
Learning Space, The Hub £7, pre-bookable
11–16 years
Explore the journey of coal from seam to steam. Design and create a system that successfully moves coal from the coal face to the factory.
Summer Specials
See page 11 for full details
Sun Paper Printing
Wed 31 Jul – Fri 2 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
Ice Cream Making
Wed 14 – Fri 16 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
Ochre Art
Wed 28 – Fri 30 Aug: 11am–12.30pm
Are you a creative person?
Do you enjoy trying new things?
Join us for an uplifting afternoon.
No previous experience needed.
Feel Good Fridays
Fridays (Term-Time): 1:30pm–3pm
Learning Space, The Hub
£7, pre-bookable
Fri 5 Jul Art: Glass painting
Fri 19 Jul 3D: Mosaic
Fri 6 Sep Textiles: Leather Cat Coin Purse
Fri 27 Sep Artisan: Bath Bombs
Adults
Be inspired by the Art Collection of NCMME, with our exciting Adult Art Workshops.
Each month, enjoy different sessions with visiting artists using a variety of mediums, inspired by the art within our Collection.
Relief Casting with Sean Barry
Sun 14 Jul: 10.30am–12.30pm
Education Room, The Hub £12, pre-bookable
In this practical workshop, make impressions into clay with organic materials. Watch the pieces come to life as you pour plaster into the negative spaces to create a unique botanical relief casting.
Adults
Wire Sculpture with Harry Malkin
Sun 8 Sep: 10.30am–12.30pm
Education Room, The Hub £12, pre-bookable
Experiment with the techniques of sculpting with wire in this hands-on, practical workshop. Follow Harry as he demonstrates the step-bystep techniques to make a striking mining figure.
Home Educators are always welcome at NCMME. Every month you can get a deeper understanding of the museum with our specially tailored workshops.
History and Engineering: Powerhouse Moving Coal
7–13 years
Wed 10 – Fri 12 Jul: 11am–12:30pm & 2pm–3:30pm
Education Room, The Hub £7, pre-bookable
Experiment with mining haulage in this hands-on interactive workshop. Investigate how levers and mechanisms speed up coal production and put your theories to the test in a race to see how much coal you can move.
Engineering: Ups and Downs of Coal - Pit Prop Challenge
Wed 18 – Fri 20 Sep: 11am–12:30pm & 2pm–3:30pm
Education Room, The Hub £7, pre-bookable
Interact in this sensory story about the ups and downs of coal. Get your engineering thinkingcaps on to devise an innovative way to hold up 20kg of coal using limited resources.
Dig Deep and Donate
Lives Lived, Lives Lost
Take your place in history
Our Miners’ Memorial Garden celebrates and commemorates the courage and camaraderie of miners, and the close-knit families and communities that supported them. A place for quiet contemplation and reflection, the Garden allows all who visit us to share memories of what coal mining has meant to them over many generations.
To find out more, visit ncm.org.uk/garden
Remember your loved ones
Each beautifully handcrafted check costs £75 and creates a unique and lasting memory for years to come.
Whether you wish to remember a loved one, or share a memory of the community in which you live, there are many ways to remember and personalise your glass check.
